This invention relates generally to games and puzzles and more particularly to ring puzzle games.
Games and puzzles of this type generally consist of a number of rings loosely anchored by posts in a flat base member. An elongated closed loop made of wire straddles the posts and passes through the rings. The solution to the puzzle, that is, removing and replacing of the loop, involves a long series of manipulations.
The prior art includes numerous puzzle games, such as U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,036,504 to Touchette; 4,000,901 to Flores; 3,698,719 to Winslow; and 3,706,458 to Jones. The Touchette patent depicts a puzzle game having U-shaped handles on the end of the wire loop and on the flat base to make manipulations easier. Unfortunately, the Touchette patent offers no solution to the game. The Flores patent is a similar ring puzzle game having a flat base but no handle on the loop. Again, the Winslow patent shows a ring puzzle game that also has a flat base and a separating wire loop member. Finally, the Jones patent has a flat base like the above-mentioned patents but provides a means for a changeable number of rings.
There are numerous problems with the patented ring puzzle games in the prior art.
First, since the ring puzzle game is so difficult to solve, a means is needed by which the number of rings can be adjustable so the user can begin with a few rings and then increase the number of rings as his skill improves. Although the Jones patent cited above does provide for a changeable number of rings, the patent provides for no place to store the unused number of rings.
The second problem with prior patents is that all of the ring puzzles require one hand to hold the game and the other must be used to manipulate the loop through the rings, thereby making it tiresome to play. Both hands are needed to manipulate the rings and loop and prior inventions cannot be set down to play without losing one's place in the puzzle.
A third problem is that the prior ring puzzle games do not provide any covering for the bottom of the posts which are made of pointed and sharp metal. Such exposure of the metal often results in clothes being torn or fingers cut.
The instant invention solves these problems associated with the prior art by providing a ring puzzle game which, instead of being mounted on a flat base, is mounted in a rectangular box-like container which not only covers the exposed metal of the posts but also acts as a platform which can be rested on a table. In this manner, the hand required to hold the game is freed up so that it is possible to manipulate the rings and the loop with both hands. In addition, the holding box also acts as a storage cabinet for additional rings by providing a cover on the bottom which snaps open and shut as needed.
Thus, as outlined above this invention provides an improved ring puzzle game with a holding and storage box in addition to numerous other advantages over prior ring puzzles.